Romanian-born and German-raised, Christian Oita started out as a writer. His artistic shift to fashion photography three years ago was soon to trigger a full career transition. Today, he is shooting his singularly styled male fashion imagery for clients on both sides of the Atlantic.

The Advocate: Why are you a photographer?Christian Oita: I was working at a local newspaper in my late teens and there was this photojournalist who mentored me. He tried to talk me out of painting. For days I would go on telling him how photography is basically a lazy way of creating images with no original outcome whatsoever. A few weeks later I gave up painting and picked up a camera.

What catches your eye?Vintage cars and large billboards. Cute puppy dogs in parks.

How do you choose your subjects?Casting is always a crucial aspect, even with assignments that seem easy to cast, starting off. I tend to go the distance, because the right choice here will usually end up making the difference.